US: VW sales chief leaves

Volkswagen of America has disclosed the departure of another top executive: Frank Trivieri, who had been the VW brand’s executive vice president of sales in the States since 2011.

Trivieri, 51, leaves Volkswagen after a year in which the brand’s US sales declined 7 % in a market that gained 8 % – and relationships with American dealers grew strained. Dealers did not take well to a reworked stair-step bonus program that Trivieri put in place in 2013, which made dealers’ ability to earn money on new-car sales more dependent on whether they hit their sales targets.

Volkswagen disclosed Trivieri’s impending departure in a letter to dealers ahead of the National Automobile Dealers Convention at the weekend.

“Prior to our meetings at [NADA], we would like to inform you that Frank Trivieri, Executive Vice President of Sales, has elected to leave Volkswagen of America effective January 31, 2014,” VW said in the letter to dealers. “We would like to take this opportunity to thank Frank for his passion, dedication, commitment and for the numerous contributions he has made to the Volkswagen brand over the past 2.5 years.”

Trivieri came to Volkswagen from General Motors, where he was most recently the automaker’s Canadian sales chief. He was brought on by former Volkswagen Group of America CEO Jonathan Browning, a fellow GM veteran.